As Germany’s most consequential league fixture of the season returned, Paderborn wondered as to whether they could upset the odds and become just the fourth Bundesliga 2 side to prevail in 18 editions of this format.
And things started well for Ralf Kettemann’s men, with Santiago Castañeda picking up the pieces after Filip Bilbija’s header was blocked and volleying goalward, forcing Kamil Grabara into the first stop of the match.
But Wolfsburg recovered from that early scare and got a firm foothold in the game, before gradually ramping up their efforts to open the scoring.
Denis Vavro had Dennis Seimen worried when his daisy-cutter skidded just wide of the post, before Adam Daghim – possibly Die Wolfe’s liveliest attacker during the first half – tested the Paderborn stopper on the break.
A Christian Eriksen cross could easily have crept in at the near post just prior to half time, setting the hosts up nicely to continue pushing in the second half.
The remarkable record of no second-tier sides having won their home leg of this tie since 2009 hung over Paderborn like a dark cloud, but any efforts to make up for that by winning this away leg were promptly snuffed out.
Instead, more shots rained down on Seimen’s goal, including a curling free-kick by Eriksen, which was kept out by the 20-year-old.
Some cunning substitutions from Kettemann gave Paderborn some late momentum, though, and a combination of Vavro and Joakim Maehle were required to stop Bilbija’s chipped finish from crossing the line.
Paderborn could be pleased to see out the goalless stalemate and set up a tense second leg, but did have the downside that Jonah Sticker was shown a second yellow card just prior to the final whistle.
Having been four points below 16th place just a few weeks before the end of the season, Wolfsburg’s recovery to make this play-off deserves its own plaudits, but they now need to win consecutive away games for the first time since August 2025 to complete the job.
Paderborn, meanwhile, have the curse of the second-tier side to contend with, but will hope they can replicate Union Berlin in 2019 and return to the Bundesliga after a six-year absence.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Dennis Seimen (SC Paderborn)
